Author: Rhys Gregory

Do you have what it takes to conquer the challenging Get Jerky Devil’s Staircase Ultra Trail Race this weekend? The race, which covers around 31 miles with a total ascent and descent of about 4,700ft, takes place on Saturday, September 16 and entries will be accepted on the day. Postponed on April 1 when heavy rain made a river crossing along the route dangerous, the race starts and finishes at the Neuadd Arms in the centre of Llanwrtyd Wells. Reputedly the smallest town in Britain, Llanwrtyd Wells is home to some of the world’s most wacky and wonderful outdoor activities.…

The new Princess Quarter office building scheme is set to add 15,000 sq ft of Grade A office space to Swansea city centre by early 2024. Extensive redevelopment is transforming a four storey 1950’s building on the corner of Princess Way and St Mary Street.  The redevelopment by local developer Kartay will create retail units on the ground floor with three storeys of superior office accommodation above. Kartay has now appointed property consultants Knight Frank and Glanmor Chartered Surveyors as joint letting agents to market the scheme. Matt Phillips, head of the South Wales office of Knight Frank, said: “The…

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE) Wales, in partnership with headline sponsor Swansea Building Society, has announced the success of the DofE Wales Gower Walk Challenge, which took place on Saturday, September 9. The event saw an impressive turnout of 206 participants who completed either a 10-mile or a 22-mile route along the picturesque Rhossili to Mumbles Gower coastline, with an impressive £40,000 raised to support the DofE initiative so far, and donations still rolling in via the event’s dedicated fundraising page. Swansea Building Society, the proud event sponsor, underwrote the organising costs with a generous donation of £20,000, contributing…

TALENTED riders from North Wales and Cheshire will battle the cream of world-class motocross and off-road biking at The Arenacross Festival (AX Fest) this weekend. Thousands of people are to descend on the 6,000-acre Bolesworth Castle estate in Tattenhall, near Chester and Wrexham, for a three-day, high-octane programme of events, beginning on Friday (September 15-17). AX Fest is Britain’s biggest motocross and live music weekend, mixing thrilling racing and freestyle motocross (FMX) stunt shows with an amazing family festival experience. The event will also mark the first round of the 2023/24 Arenacross British Championship. Among the local stars appearing will be…

People across Cardiff, south east Wales and the Valleys can access hundreds of free courses this September to help boost their career prospects, confidence and wellbeing. A recent survey around employment and skills conducted by Beaufort Research on behalf of the Welsh Government found that 19% of people in Cardiff and south east Wales said not having the right skills was a barrier to them getting a job or finding a new job, rising significantly to 31% of people in the Valleys. Despite this, 69% of people in Cardiff and south east Wales, and 70% of people in the Valleys…

The shortlist has been announced for the Cnect Wales Contact Centre Awards, which will be celebrated for the 25th time on 29th September. Jomo People are headline sponsors of the awards at Cardiff City Stadium, which recognise the 32,000 employees who work within the 350 Wales-based centres that contribute £650m annually to the Welsh economy. Centres and individuals are nominated for their employees and innovative strategies to support both customers and colleagues. Sandra Busby, Managing Director of Cnect Wales, said: “We are proud to be marking the 25th awards, which highlight the remarkable role the industry plays in the success…

195 Welsh products have received awards from the world’s leading food and drink accreditation scheme. The Guild of Fine Food proudly announced the exceptional Welsh winners of the Great Taste Awards 2023 this August. These accolades celebrate the remarkable achievements of artisans in the realm of fine food and drink. In a global showcase of culinary excellence, the Great Taste Awards, the world’s foremost food and drink accreditation scheme based exclusively on taste, unveiled the outstanding achievements of Welsh producers. After an arduous evaluation process involving more than 500 expert judges and spanning 109 countries, Welsh products emerged as some…

A £6.4m scheme which will help to defend Porthcawl from flooding and any potential future rise in sea levels was officially opened earlier this week. The work was jointly funded by Welsh Government and Bridgend County Borough Council as part of the Coastal Risk Management Programme. Construction specialists Knights Brown have transformed the promenade area into a flat, easily accessible space with new planters and enhanced flood defences which blend into the overall design and run between Porthcawl Marina and Coney Beach. The promenade was officially opened by Welsh Government’s Deputy Minister for Climate Change, Lee Waters MS and the…

With the Cardiff Half Marathon taking place on Sunday, October 1st, the city is expected to be exceptionally busy, so residents and visitors are advised to plan and leave plenty of time for their journey. On Wednesday September 27th, the following road closures will be put in place at the Civic Centre to set up and dismantle the race village for the event. From 5am on Wednesday, September 27th until just before midnight on Monday, October 2nd College Road will be closed from the junction with Museum Avenue to the junction with King Edward VII Avenue (Vehicle access to private…

TOURISM’S annual value to the Swansea Bay economy has topped the £500m mark for the first time. New figures show visitors spent £510.76m throughout 2022 in the Swansea, Mumbles and Gower area. The STEAM figures (Scarborough Tourism Economic Activity Monitor) prepared for Swansea Council also show that visitor numbers increased to more than 4.2m last year with the tourism industry supporting 5,190 jobs in the area. Hotel room occupancy rates are encouraging, with some months this year seeing 80% of rooms occupied according to industry data platform Smith Travel Research. That’s higher than the most recent comparable years. A council…